OYSTER DISTRIBUTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 510, 18 May 1909, Page 9

OYSTER DISTRIBUTION.

:GOTEIINMEN,T JIETHODS^^'.CRITICISED. /'. (BI ;TEl,Ea!ui;U— SI'ECIAL"COUICKSFOMDEMT:} ', '. ' -^ '•'■■' ; ■■■•-. ;; : '■■: : Uay 15. ■'?■ ./..■There are many-.convplaiiits as to the Gov- ■ ernment's■■: methods' of ' distributing State oysters,-of whicK. the following in-to-day's paper, is typical:— '~ ■ ■ .- ■'.-■■• /; . . ;:''Tiie-.writer-had occasion a/day or. two ago to obtain a. sack .of. 'oyaters for;a friend, and Manrig'; i : that ; 'ifc-;,was/;impossibl3'.':t<) ! - get ; a sack; from the dealers, seeing" , that' they'.. are' onable '.to'get sufficient for their rotail trade, J/.wasi, advised, to make; application at; the oyster depot. To", 'get there , early , as ■'ad--vised, rl-arrived at .the .depot at '8.30 a.m., and was told : .on .'making inquiries that-the oflice. did not open till nino. o'clock. After a' ..wait.of. more';than'half aii.. hour, the Toffies wan opened, and 1 the distribution, began. After the loss of/sundry buttons -and damage to one's-clothing in -the wild scramble, I got -near, the/window by 12 nooii, and from the time the. office opened.' till .the:noon hour the enormous'.mimbcr of li orders had been issued,/truly -,a' wonderful performance. V I suggest that':,the.Auditor-General;appoint. a special officer to supervise the 'distribution ef oysters so-that there may bo an end to this unseemly., haste :on the' part of.-our public officials, 'arid. insist on say not more than■two; orders being'.issued in ono day. '■' -This would enable, the,oysters ■■ to mature in the sacks, and also .relieve/the .mental, strain .. which must be' vbry.- severe on, the officials. There are, I'think.: only four -of them, but lnthis.matter we have a specimen of State oontrpl. 'Some, cannot get.any .oysters, and liay6;:had'norie since-the' season openodl Many and loud .are : tho cotoplaints '-of." thesystoiri, one gentleman informing the that ho Lad waited at :the.depot from 9 a.m. till 4. p.m. on. one occasion-, and then rewarded with one sack. The writer has been told of others who havo arrived at the'depot at. the opening hour, and remained,there,till -the afternoon tor one sack. Now,"if one : is fortunate; enough to .got one sack,-' it costs as follows:' Seven hours' '.waiting, (time lost) at ls.per.hour, 75.; one sack oysters, 12s. 6d.; .total cost, 19s; ,6d. I submifthis is beyond .all reason.. .The'object in the State controlling .-.the", oyster,industry was to give ■ cheap oysters', to, the people, 1 but with tho unreason-able,;.wastp-.'.of.r time tho article costs mofe i,than/in former years, when'one could go to the/boats oft arrival and get a supply without ■this scandalous waste of time. .Furthermore, we'aro continually told that, tho Government is endeavouring to ■ find; work for the unemployed: Bui; aro theyK'-'.Th'oro arc only about half tho number of " pickers, employed now; than, there wero under'tho "old style, and '.tho .openers have had to go out of tho business throusli the dealers■ not:being able to -.get a f supply,-.or enough to- enable tho openers to make.-wages. "Die writer knows ono man who followed the occupation for M years /under one -employer';-'. He is now out of work. It is.tirno'tilo Minister for Marine looked;into tho:matter for himself."